Keepsake
by Funk Oni
Summary: Generations prior to Souzen's War, a teenage girl finds herself on her first assignment as the Avatar.
1. Chapter 1

**Keepsake**

Chapter I

"Excellent form, excellent," Goba nodded his head softly, his long dark beard failing to conceal a proud smile.

"Thank you, Sifu Goba" the teenager smiled, feeling the gentle slither of the wind against her palms as she bent it to her will. With steady stance and careful focus she continued mimicking the movements her instructor had demonstrated.

"Careful now, your stance is too firm. You've planted your feet firmly to the ground," he tapped a foot against her ankle as he passed her from behind.

"I thought a firm stance was important?"

"Yes, it is. But to master airbending, we must understand the element with both our mind and body. The air is constant, always surrounding us. If we disturb it," he lifted his open palm against the soft wind, allowing it to slip between his fingers. "It will adapt to us, and strengthen. To understand this physically, we must allow our energy to flow through our bodies without forcing it. In this, we will be like the wind, adapting to whatever may come, then growing stronger before releasing it back into nature."

"Adapting…" she listened carefully, her eyes focused upon her hands as she eased the tension in her legs, trying to feel the chakra within her.

"Your stance is firm, connecting you to the earth. As your talents in airbending grow, your body will learn to connect to this element as well," he nodded approvingly as he noticed her stance lightening.

She smiled, the statement revealing the truth of the "old habits are hard to break" maxim.

"Monk Goba!" A young airbender hurried toward the pair, eyes wide.

"Hmm? Rinzen? What is the matter?" the old monk turned his attention to the startled pupil curiously.

"Tashi's back!" the child pointed behind him urgently.

"Of course," Goba smirked, chuckling as he wondered what trouble Tashi could have gotten himself into this time. "Please help him to unpack; I will meet with him once I have finished here." The old monk nodded his head appreciatively to the young airbender.

"He says it's important! Monk Yeshe's with him!"

The instructor's eyes widened, his adventurous pupil's arrival taking a sudden gravity to it. Slowly he nodded his head, waving his hand to dismiss the child.

"Help Tashi to unpack, I'll be along shortly."

"Sifu Goba? Is something the matter?" she lowered her hands, standing upright as she looked toward him.

"Yes. An unexpected visit from an old friend," he smiled softly as he turned towards her. "I feel that is enough for this morning. Please use the day to reflect upon that which I have said."

Her eyebrows rose up, perplexed by the abrupt conclusion of their session. Understanding that argument on the matter would be disrespectful, she nodded. "Thank you, Sifu Goba."

"It is my honor and pleasure," he bowed his head respectfully towards her. "Avatar Kyoshi."


	2. Chapter 2

**Keepsake**

Chapter II

Rinzen poured Yeshe's tea with careful consideration, the old man's constant scowl doing well to intimidate him.

"Hey Rinzen, fill mine up too," Tashi lifted his cup, shaking it slightly to convey the point as he smiled toward the young airbender. He was young, barely out of his teens. Where his elder wore a long robe, a simple orange mantle with brown trim adorned his shoulders. Durable greaves and bracers concealed his legs and forearms. Just under his mouth was a dark soul patch, his eyes wild with wanderlust.

"Disrespectful," Yeshe muttered.

"Oh, c'mon? Still?" his eyebrow rose up. "You said the entire trip here was disrespectful."

"It is more appropriate to allow your elders to mount your air bison first."

"Yeah, but Pema doesn't trust anyone to ride her unless I get on first. Lets her know it's okay."

"It is also more appropriate to bathe the creature at intervals."

"She hates baths, too." H shrugged, having built a tolerance to the stench a long time ago. Lifting the cup to his mouth, he took a long sip. He had missed the taste of the northern air temple's tea.

"I see that a long journey does little to calm a restless spirit," Goba smiled as he stepped into the room.

"Monk Goba," Yeshe nodded politely.

"Goba, you're here!" Tashi lifted his cup, grinning.

"Tashi. I am glad to see your safe return," he nodded slowly, a soft relief passing over him upon seeing the lad was unharmed.

The airbender opened his mouth to speak, Goba's statement seeming to rob him of any words he might muster. With a gentle smile he nodded silently. The monk had been more than a mentor to him, teaching him and guiding him when answers seemed to lie beyond any means of reach. In all his travels, Goba was the only one he had genuinely missed.

To understand that the old man worried over him at least slightly was a touching sentiment.

"Monk Yeshe, I am glad to see you once again. I trust you are well?" He sat politely across from the two, Rinzen pouring a cup of tea for him.

"I am," he nodded, his expression unchanging. "I apologize for arriving without notice, yet there is a matter that I must call to your attention."

Goba glanced towards Tashi.

"Hey, no way, I've got nothing to do with this one. I was just his ride," he lifted his hands defensively.

"Despite his foolishness, the young monk speaks the truth," Yeshe conceded.

He opened his mouth to protest the accusation, stopping as he noticed Goba quietly lift a hand to dismiss the matter.

"Please Yeshe, what troubles you?" he lifted the cup in his palm, his left hand motioning over it gently to cool the contents. He preferred his tea cold.

"An Earth Kingdom dispute," he touched his fingers to the mouth of his cup, lifting it to his opposite palm.

"Over?"

"Land."

"Such internal turmoil is typical of the Earth Kingdom," Goba looked curiously toward the elder, suspecting there to be more to the story.

"Yes, and we are fortunate that it has calmed in recent years. It is not the dispute itself that troubles me, it is the location," he took a long drink from the cup, frowning slightly at the quality of the tea before glancing toward Rinzen.

The child's eyes went wide, shivering slightly at the realization that he had somehow displeased the veteran monk.

"Oh?" Goba focused carefully on the matter, regarding it as crucial if it had drawn Yeshe's attention.

"An Earth Kingdom conqueror has been moving west, destroying anyone that stands to oppose him. His forces are small, yet there is a particular landmark in his path that concerns me; an old temple that is given constant tribute and veneration."

"You wish to avoid disturbing the spirits," he nodded in understanding.

"Do not take regard the matter lightly. This is a spirit of great importance," Yeshe's tone grew harsh, staring grimly toward his fellow monk.

Goba was silent, his eyes narrowing as he tried to determine the spirit's identity.

"…Si Shen," he set his cup down, staring hard at the floor.

Tashi shifted uneasily in his seat, a sudden gravity weighing upon him.

His old mentor's eyes went wide, the image of a parched earth filling his mind. Reaching towards the sky like thin fingers, a hundred graves stood tall. At the center was a beautifully carved shrine, the statue of the spirit resting serenely within.

"…The spirit of death." The words faltered as they escaped his lips, his voice shuddering.

"Based on the testimony of the conquered, I feel the raiders would have little qualms destroying the temple to display their might. We've no guarantee that such would enrage Si Shen, or that anything would come of it. But it is a notion I'd rather not test," Yeshe stared towards the tea, his reflection becoming more definite as the liquid settled.

"So we fly in, stop the raiders, have a laugh and head home," Tashi guessed, taking another sip in the hope that his levity would conquer the tension that had descended upon them.

"Fool. If it were so simple, I would have dealt with the matter myself," he scoffed. "The balance of the mortal and spirit world is not the business of the airbenders, but…"

"The Avatar," Goba finished his sentence, staring forward pensively.

"Yes," Yeshe nodded, grateful that the monk had understood the situation.

"Kyoshi has only mastered the elements of earth and fire. Though she displays a magnificent talent at it, she has much to learn before she has mastered airbending," his eyes lifted towards his colleague.

"I am not here to ask you her status, I am here to call upon the Avatar to do her job," he narrowed his eyes.

"And I am insisting humbly that she may not be fully prepared to do that job," Goba maintained his calm as he answered.

"It is not a matter of whether she is ready or not; there is a task that must be fulfilled regardless." Growing animosity filled his words.

Tashi narrowed his eyes, disliking Yeshe's tone.

"Then I will entrust it to Tashi, he…"

"No!" the elder monk snapped. "You will not leave such a matter in the hands of an imbecile out of concern for this girl's safety! The Avatar has survived countless generations, dealing with matters far more dangerous than this!"

The youngest monk glared, unable to ignore the blatant insult. Respect for his old mentor stilled his tongue, his grip on his glider tightening.

Goba closed his eyes, unable to deny the truth in the outburst.

"…Tashi. Will you go…" he started.

"I told you," Yeshe growled.

"As Kyoshi's escort?" he cut off the elder monk, his tone rising.

"…Yes," Tashi bowed his head respectfully, understanding the matter to be important.

"Hmph," Yeshe scowled, lifting his tea to his lips once again. His faith in the Avatar outweighed his suspicion that the idiot airbender would handle the matter improperly.

"My thanks." The corners of the old man's beard lifted as he smiled, nodding his head gratefully.

"It is my honor, Sifu Goba. I will do my best to aid the Avatar," the monk bowed once more, rising to his feet. Silently he left the room, the glider resting on his shoulder.

"Hmm. Let us hope he does nothing to corrupt the young Avatar," Yeshe grumbled.

The old monk smiled, watching as his student walked away. A tender pride coursed through him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Keepsake**

Chapter III

"Oh c'mon! You washed her?! She hates that!" Tashi stared at his air bison, perturbed by the glistening sheen of her fur.

Pema rubbed her head against the ground in protest, twisting her body in an attempt to get reacquainted with the dirt.

"The Avatar will be riding with you; we wanted her to be as presentable as possible," the monk bowed his head calmly, not wanting to hear any complaint on the matter. He had already met with enough protest during the wash from the beast herself.

Groaning, Tashi rubbed the mount's stomach in an attempt to calm her.

"Remember; The earth forever below, the air forever above. You will never be without resources," Goba reminded her, watching nervously as she finished packing her bedroll.

"Yes Sifu Goba," she smiled while lifting the pack over the shoulders of her green kimono. She was pleased with her armor, her mentor's lectures having worried her that it would perhaps be too heavy to allow proper airbending. Much to her relief, it proved durable enough to protect her while being light enough to enable her to effectively use each of the bending forms she had learned. The cool wind brushed against her cheek, the face paint doing little to guard her from its chill.

"And you mustn't overexert yourself; you can only handle so much."

"Yes Sifu Goba," her smile remained as she turned to face him.

"And you must…" he smirked, sighing. "Remember to forgive your instructor for being a nuisance."

"…Yes Sifu Goba," she laughed lightly, bowing respectfully to the old monk.

"Take care, Kyoshi. Have faith in Tashi, he will see to your safety," he bowed his head to her, watching her with tender worry as she hurried towards the air bison.

"Aww, it's not that bad. You look pretty," he rubbed the top of his mount's head reassuringly.

Pema grunted, pawing at the ground impatiently.

"There she is," Tashi grinned, watching Kyoshi as she made her approach. Offering his hand, he hoisted her up to the bison's back.

"Thank you," she nodded, gripping the edge of the saddle in preparation for flight. She had become well acquainted with the creatures, knowing well enough to hold onto something at the point of takeoff.

"Hey, look at that! You know your stuff," he complimented, lifting the reins. "Pema, yip yip!"

The beast pressed its mighty feet against the stone, dust pushing away quickly as it sprang into the air.

Kyoshi felt the wind comb through her hair, the fur of the air bison swaying rapidly as it climbed the sky. Before long it leveled out, retaining a steady pace as the waves of the ocean churned fiercely far below.

"Man, I love that part," Tashi grinned, resting the rein on top of his boot before lying back, his arms folding behind his head.

The Avatar composed herself, having always regarded that particular aspect of the journey as the most daunting. Setting her pack down, she sat calmly as she looked towards the horizon.

A gentle mix of excitement and anxiety coursed through her, this being the first task she would engage as Avatar. Fantastic scenes of fierce battles with countless warriors played through her mind, her heart fluttering as the distant worry of being overwhelmed resonated within her.

"Hey, what's that?" the airbender's eyebrow rose.

"Hmm?" she snapped back to attention, staring out over the horizon. Squinting, she searched for that which had drawn his attention.

"Wait, is that a…Doll?" he blinked, staring back towards his partner's pack as he laid on Pema.

Beneath the layer of face paint the Avatar's cheeks burned, her eyes going wide as she realized her belongings to be exposed by the force of the bison's takeoff. Her hand darted toward the pack, stuffing its contents in deeper.

"N…No. It's not," she stammered.

"Looks like one," he watched curiously.

"It's not!" she peered over her shoulder angrily.

"Whoa, fine. Not a doll; got it," he lowered his head to face forward once more, not wanting to be on the bad side of the Avatar.

Her eyelids lowered slightly as her hand traced the top of the bag.

It was a doll.

Before they had discovered her to be the reincarnation of the Avatar, Kyoshi had faced a misfortune. Her family was not poor, nor did her village know any grave threat or danger. She had simply had the bad luck of being the only girl her age in the village. She felt too old to play with the younger girls and those older treated her as little more than prey to be bullied. Her large feet did little to help the situation.

In one companion she found solace and camaraderie, a doll that her father had purchased for her at a local festival. It was she that she confided her greatest secrets in, that she clutched when the other girls had pushed her to tears.

It was one of the few belongings she had made sure to hold on to in her journey to master the other bending disciplines.

It was a doll; her doll. More than that, it was her friend. And though she regarded it with fond affection, she could not help but feel embarrassed by the possibility of others finding out about it, perhaps going so far as to mock her for it.

Her finger traced over the pack once more, lost in thought.

"So I've been kind of curious," Tashi made an attempt at conversation.

"Hmm?" she looked over her shoulder.

"You know the deal with the temples, right? North and south is for guy monks, east and west for girls."

"Yes," she nodded, turning to face him.

"So…Why did you choose the northern air temple? Wouldn't you have been more comfortable at the eastern or western?"

"Sifu Cheng of the Fire Nation…When I completed my firebending training, he spoke very highly of Sifu Goba. I wanted to seek him out, since my experience with Sifu Cheng had gone so well." She smiled as she recalled her mentor, hoping quietly that she still possessed all the knowledge he had imparted upon her.

"Heh, yeah. Goba's great," he smiled. "Taught me everything I know," he boasted with admiration, glancing back toward his traveling companion.

"Yes, he's told me about you," she nodded. "That you left the temple over a year ago to travel the world."

"Yeah," he grinned. "I don't like being in one place too long."

"Where did you go?" She attempted to maintain the conversation, finding it vastly preferable to the feeling of uncertainty toward their mission that silence carried.

"Well," he turned to lie on his side, resting his head in his palm. "Stopped at the Fire Nation, which was great. Met some nobles; very boring. Met some circus performers; very nice, they could do some fantastic stuff. Then I headed over to the Earth Kingdom."

Kyoshi nodded with gentle fascination.

"Was worried that there'd be a lot of in fighting, but Goba was right. Most of that's died down, the Kingdom's unified for the most part. Only a couple of power hungry conquerors left. Then I headed to the South Pole. Fantastic storytellers, the Water Tribesmen," he smiled as he recalled a particular tale. "Then I headed to Ba Sing Se."

"The walled city?" her curiosity was piqued, having only ever heard of it.

"Don't get too excited; the place isn't nearly as grand as it looks."

"What do you mean?"

"You're the Avatar, so I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you. I think it's the sort of thing that you just have to see for yourself."

"…Hmm," she noted quietly, wondering what the monk meant in regards to the great walled city.

"Then I flew back over the Earth Kingdom, met up with old man Yeshe. No sense of humor," he muttered, grimacing slightly as the recalled the old monk's constant complaining on the journey back to the air temple.

"…You said that the Water Tribe of the south told you stories?"

"Oh yeah, great ones. I have to go back someday and write some of them down."

"Do you recall any?"

"Sure! Want to hear one?" he smirked as he looked back towards the Avatar, more than willing to share a story.

"Of course," she nodded with a smile.

The bison soared through the sky, Kyoshi listening intently as Tashi relayed fantastic stories from the South Pole.


	4. Chapter 4

**Keepsake**

Chapter IV

"Oh wow, we're already here." Tashi peered over Pema's side, astonished that the trip had passed so quickly. Snapping the reins, he guided the beast to the ground.

"Why are we stopping at Si Shen's temple?" Kyoshi looked over the side as she held the edge of the saddle.

"We don't know how much ground the raiders covered since Yeshe and I last saw them, so we're better off stopping here and scouting ahead. That way we won't overshoot," he explained as his mount slowed, her paws scraping heavily against the dry soil as she slid to a halt.

"It's so…" the Avatar dropped from Pema's side, studying the temple with an inexplicable nervousness.

"Dead," Tashi tapped the glider to the ground, allowing it to fan out. "Here; you explore the temple a bit, get a feel for it. I'm going to go scout ahead, see if the raiders are in sight."

"Right…" she nodded unsurely, disliking any "feel" that the temple might inspire.

"If anything gets out of hand, just hop on Pema and get out of here," he grinned, taking a running start with the glider.

"What about you?" she peered towards him.

"I'll be fine!" Tashi reassured her, leaping into the air as the wind pushed up against the glider, enabling him to slip through the sky.

Kyoshi nodded gently, turning her attention toward the temple.

The ground was nearly white, parched of any nutrients. Thin graves penetrated it, tiny inscriptions lining each as they reached to the sky. At the center stood a lavish shrine, a set of golden bars imprisoning a finely carved statue.

The statue itself was terrifying, possessing the body of a deer with dragon's scales beneath finely decorated cloth. Its head was that of a goat, staring serenely forward.

A cold shiver ran through her body, her heavy boot stepping back against the hard ground. The sound of Pema growling broke her concentration, turning quickly to observe that which had disturbed the creature. Her eyes went wide, her hands tracing down slowly toward her fans.

A wave of raiders rushed toward them, their small frames visible on the horizon as their cries and thunderous footsteps grew in volume.

Far ahead of the group was Tashi, a horrified expression filling his face as he glided toward them quickly. Dipping toward Kyoshi he spun the staff in his hand as he slid along the ground.

"Before you say or think anything, I think it's important we establish that this wasn't my fault," he motioned his thumb over his shoulder toward the impending villains.

"They were closer than you thought, I take it?" Her wrists moved quickly, the fans unfolding as she took her stance.

"Kind of, yeah." He turned, gripping his staff as he prepared. "Any ideas?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're the Avatar, didn't one of your past lives deal with something like this at some point?!"

"It's not like I can talk to them!" She protested, wishing this had been the first time she had found herself explaining the fact.

"Okay, fine then! So what do we do!?"

"I don't know…Guard the temple!"

"Right," he nodded, looking toward the ground before them. "Make a wall."

"What?"

"Make a wall to keep them back!"

Kyoshi nodded, her stance widening as she faced toward the incoming raiders. Taking a mighty step forward, she lashed her arm out to the side as a thick slab of earth rose from the ground like a mighty wave. Stepping to the opposite side she brought up another, moving quickly to widen it.

Tashi leapt to the top of the powerful barrier, rearing his staff back over his shoulder. Glaring towards a barrage of arrows, he whipped the staff out against the sky. A powerful blast of air tore through it, rendering the arrows little more than slivers of wood as they rained down harmlessly upon the ground.

A thin film of sweat covered Kyoshi's face, her teeth clenching as she moved quickly to surround the entire temple in one solid earthen wall. Her attention darted back periodically to the airbender, ensuring his safety as the defenses around the temple grew.

Pema growled loudly, leaping over it in a powerful bound. Turning, she slapped her tail heavily to the ground. A strong gust of wind took a small unit of raiders off their feet, launching them back. The powerful beast brought her tail up again, repeating the motion to deter the enemies.

Deflecting the approaching arrows, Tashi unleashed a low growl. Bringing his hand up to his shoulder he tore off his mantle, allowing it to flutter slowly to the ground. Beneath it was a dark sash with a large wooden bead clasping it, the symbol of the Air Nomads etched in deeply. Sweat fell to the earth beneath him as his arms whipped from side to side, wind tearing from his staff to meet the arrows above.

The Avatar breathed deeply, the two ends of the wall meeting with one another.

The front section of the wall began to crumble, the enemy ramming into it.

"Kyoshi!" Tashi yelled out, clenching his teeth as the warriors grew nearer. His knees bent, leaping into the air as he felt the wind wash over his body, pulling toward his staff sharply before he descended. He slammed the glider against the ground, a fierce spike of wind launching a mob of raiders away in a powerful blast.

The air bison turned rapidly, her limbs knocking villains away as her tail continued its barrage against the ground, knocking those within its path back.

Their leader grinned as he pushed through the small section of wall they had penetrated, recognizing the temple before him. His grip on his axe tightened, his eyes going wide with excitement.

"No no no!" The airbender glared as he lashed the glider out horizontally, driving back another wave of invaders. Leaping high, he turned to witness the lead raider rushing toward the shrine, cackling proudly. "No!"

Kyoshi rushed forward, her eyes going wide as she watched the conqueror bring the weapon over his shoulder.

The sound of shattering stone cut through the air.

Pema snorted loudly, shaking wildly from side to side in protest. Her body shivered with terror, growling as she lowered.

Tashi's jaw hung open, the glider slipping from his grip.

Terror gripped the Avatar's body.

The conqueror stepped back, trembling as he gazed upward.

Before them stood Si Shen, the spirit of death.


	5. Chapter 5

**Keepsake**

Chapter V

Si Shen stood before them, glaring forward as he surveyed the landscape. In his wake the skies seemed darker, the earth eternally dead. In his shadow lay a darkness the raiders could never fathom.

His gaze lowered, searching through the faces. Looking nearly straight down, his attention stopped upon the leader.

"Mortal." His words were thick, as if a sentence alone could suffocate a man.

The axe fell from his hand, shaking with horror.

The awe she felt in the spirit's presence dissipated, her body moving forward almost involuntarily.

"You who have come to the doorsteps of my domain only to desecrate my image with violence." His words pierced through the souls of those so unfortunate as to hear them.

The conqueror fell to his knees, the fear nearly choking him.

Tashi lowered his gaze, clenching his teeth as he noticed Kyoshi approaching the spirit.

"If you were so eager to meet death, mortal…Then I shall claim you." The spirit lowered its head, its snout drawing closer to the defiler. There was no malice in his words, but rather a horrifying serenity.

"Kyoshi, no!" the airbender screamed through the silence.

Si Shen looked up toward the outburst, his eyes narrowing in curiosity. His attention turned back to the conqueror, noticing a new figure standing before him.

The Avatar stood between them, a cold terror filling each of her bones as she extended her arms to either side.

"Spirit of death! Si Shen!" she addressed him by name, wondering silently if her position permitted her to do so. "I ask that you spare this man!"

The spirit stared quietly, his words tearing through the silence. "There is a fine line between bravery and foolishness. I ask you girl; what is your intention in making so strange a request?"

"Only to guarantee the balance between this world and the spirit world!" her voice quivered as she spoke, hoping that her past lives would grant her courage.

"So bold. You are but a woman…"

"I am the Avatar!" she exclaimed, muscles tightening with the fear that this fact would only incur its wrath.

"The Avatar…?" he trailed off.

She stood before him, her arms still extended to either side.

"…It is no wonder your scent held some air of familiarity about it," Si Shen observed as he lowered his snout, sniffing at her. His breath was like ice, drawing all warmth and hope.

Kyoshi shivered with a mix of cold and terror, her eyes wide as she stared up at him.

"You defy me, Avatar. Where I guide others to their next destination, you walk your own path."

Tashi fought desperately to move, his muscles disobeying his every command.

"You bring balance between this world and ours. I bring balance as well, countering life. Bringing an end to all beginnings."

"Are you…" she asked quietly, her tone growing firmer in effort to appear confident. "Are you saying I cause unbalance?"

"No, Avatar. Only that you and I are both servants to scales. Your actions bring calm to this world, and permit harmony within ours. It is for that reason," he lowered his eyes to her once more.

Kyoshi shivered, her teeth clenching as she stared into his piercing gaze.

"That you, in many of your lives, and I…Have always been friends."

Shock thawed the fear that had frozen her, her arms lowering as she stared.

"It is out of that friendship that I will spare this fool. In exchange for this favor, I ask that you see to the repair of my temple."

"Y…Yes," she nodded quickly.

"What is your name, Avatar?"

"K…Kyoshi!" she called out.

"Avatar Kyoshi. We will meet again, as we do in each life. Until that day, I bid you good fortune." His body grew lighter, the shape altering as wisps of light descended back to the statue. It stood as it had before, as if no weapon had ever scarred it.

Tashi leapt to the ground, gripping his glider before rushing to Kyoshi.

"Are you alright?!" he asked hurriedly, resting a hand on her shoulder as he inspected her.

"I'm…I'm fine," she smiled, resting her hand on his. An excited energy coursed through her, the feeling inspiring an amazing reassurance within her that she would be able to handle the demands her role asked of her. "What of the raiders?" She turned her head, looking out to the penetrated wall.

The sound of fleeing warriors could be heard from their position by the temple, Pema growling loudly as she leapt over the wall, lumbering toward them.

"Running away," he grinned. "Guess they didn't want to be around to face the girl who's friends with the spirit of death."

She smirked, looking down toward the leader.

Driven beyond coherence, he simply trembled and lie on the ground as if his mind had deserted him.

"What're we doing with him?" Tashi looked to her, assuming the matter to be entirely in her hands at this point.

"We could leave him with the nearest village. I don't think he'll be trouble at this point," she observed. "Or would it be better to give him to the Earth King?"

"Nah, I don't want to go to Ba Sing Se. We'll just hand him off to the nearest village and send a messenger. Probably find someone to repair the shrine there, too." Gripping the back of the leader's armor, he hoisted him to his feet.

"Right," she nodded.

"Hey. That was your first Avatar thing, right?" he recalled the conversation with Yeshe and Goba.

"…Yes," she admitted quietly, hoping that had not wounded his confidence in her abilities.

"You're off to a great start then," he grinned, dragging the warrior toward the air bison.

"…Thank you," she smiled, watching after him as he walked away. Turning her attention back to the broken shrine, she watched it curiously.

A gentle calm passed through her, smiling softly as her past lives silently commended her. Turning, she hurried to Pema and Tashi.


	6. Chapter 6

**Keepsake**

Chapter VI

"Alright, here's another one of his riddles. 'I go to many places. I am hard and used in races. I am stone on some occasions. I may take you on vacations. What am I'?" Tashi leaned back on Pema's fur, his arms folded behind his head.

The setting sun painted the Earth Kingdom in a beautiful shade of orange. They had turned the defeated conqueror in to the local village, taking the opportunity to enlist workers to fix the nearby temple of Si Shen.

Kyoshi smiled, enjoying the opportunity to learn more of her instructor. "You are…" she trailed off, studying the riddle carefully. "An earthbender?" she guessed.

"Nope. It's 'used' in races, it doesn't compete in them," he smirked.

"Oh?"

"No. Try again."

"Then you are a…Spirit of some sort?" she shrugged gently.

"Nah, I doubt a spirit would take anyone on a vacation."

"I'm not understanding this," she narrowed her eyes curiously, attempting to see through it.

"Alright. Are you sure you want the answer?"

"Yes," she smiled with a gentle excitement.

""This one took me a couple months; It's a road," he smiled back toward her, watching as she compared the answer to the riddle to verify it.

"Ah!" Kyoshi's eyes lit up, laughing lightly. "How clever!"

"Right. So when he goes for that one, just go with it. He'll think you're a genius."

"Thank you Tashi," she nodded to him.

"Hey, don't thank me…Whoa!" He sat up quickly, grasping the reins as a mighty gust of wind shot up from beneath them.

Kyoshi grasped the front of the saddle, eyes wide as she maintained her grip. Looking back, she drew in a shocked breath as her pack fell from the side of the air bison.

The top flap of the pack flew open, the contents spilling toward the earth below.

"No!" she reached a hand out over the side, staring as she noticed the tiny wooden figure of her oldest friend descend. A shape rushing by startled her, watching in awe as the airbender leapt from the side of the creature.

Tashi narrowed his eyes, clenching his teeth as he dove through the air. The ground took a more definite shape as he drew closer to it, the wind tearing at his face making it difficult to see.

Squinting, he turned his attention to the contents of the pack. Noticing the doll to be the only thing that went beyond typical travel supplies, he resolved to rescue it. His eyes darted quickly toward the ground once more to gain a proper estimation of the situation.

"Oh, c'mon," he muttered as he noticed a herd of bull antelope charging below. He tapped the glider carefully, fanning it out as he grabbed careful hold of it.

The doll fell quickly to the earth, Tashi cutting toward it with tremendous speed. He lowered his right hand, motioning his fingers restlessly as he prepared to grasp it upon passing.

He passed quickly, eyes going wide as he felt his palm touch against the doll's foot, slipping from his grasp before he had gained a definite hold.

It fell into the herd, dust veiling them as they pressed on in their charge.

Glaring toward the beasts, he hung his head disappointedly before arching the glider back up toward his steed.

Kyoshi watched him as he darted up past the beast, landing in a crouching position before her. Her eyes were wide with hope, her hand to her mouth as she watched his face.

The disappointment in his features conveyed the message entirely, unable to face her.

"…I'm sorry," he muttered.

The Avatar said nothing, her gaze lowering down to the saddle.

He watched her quietly, the silence conveying the gravity of the matter to him beyond what he had even fathomed. Taking Pema's reins, he turned his attention back to the horizon before them.

Kyoshi simply turned, hugging her knees as she looked out over the bison's side.

As the night conquered the sky, the dirt kicked up the bull antelope herd settled quietly. Hidden beneath a thin layer of dust, a miraculously unharmed doll lay quietly.

For now, it would rest hidden from the light. Yet someday, it would be discovered by a hunter, only to be presented to a researcher.

That researcher would place it aside as an artifact to be later researched once Souzen's War began.

The successor of this researcher would make the doll a personal project of his, discovering through careful analysis and historical texts the true origins of his subject.

Chin-Hwa of the Yang estate would then purchase the doll, entrusting it to a messenger named Jung.

Jung would journey the Earth Kingdom in his travels, eventually handing the doll to an aging man named Oyaji.

Oyaji would then set the doll to rest within the shrine to Kyoshi, where it would spend its remaining days surrounded by the belongings of the girl it had doted on for over a decade.

And so it would sit there, happily.


	7. Chapter 7

**Keepsake**

Chapter VII

Kyoshi stared over the side, looking up toward the stars. She thought of Si Shen, and that which he had said to her.

"…Have always been friends." The thick voice passed through her memories once more.

She was the Avatar, the one who would ensure the balance between the mortal and spirit world. In every life she had lived magnificent adventures, encountering fantastic spirits and wonderful people.

In each of these lives, she had gained treacherous enemies, villains who were driven by greed and power, noble lords and goodhearted warriors.

And surely, she had accumulated friends.

Even since she had set out to learn the other bending disciplines, she had made some. Though her mentors, she regarded both Sifu Cheng and Sifu Goba as such.

She glanced toward Tashi, his frame still laden with disappointment as he guided Pema through the night.

This airbender, who told her wonderful stories of the South Pole and his travels, who thirsted for adventure, had regarded her kindly without fear of her role as Avatar. Surely he was a friend as well.

And sure enough, there would be many friends to come.

Smiling softly, she rose quietly before stepping toward him. Setting herself down beside him, she looked out toward the horizon.

"...You alright?" he asked quietly.

Nodding, she offered a smile. "Do you think you'll travel again soon?"

"Yeah. I'll spend a couple days at the temple, but after that I'll probably take off again."

"Sifu Goba once said that he suspects you'll never tire of wandering."

"Probably not," he grinned.

"When I've finished training…I suspect I'll travel often. Do you think we'll meet again?"

"Yeah, probably," he nodded. "I'd like that, at least."

"…Me too," she nodded.

"I mean, I'll probably have to track you down if I ever get a spirit mad at me for something," the airbender shrugged.

Kyoshi laughed, smiling as she pet Pema gently.

"…I enjoyed those stories from the South Pole. Do you know any more?"

"Tons," Tashi grinned. With that he entered into another tale, pointing to the stars they concerned.

The cool night air washed over them as the air bison moved gently forward, the moon high in the distance.

Days later Kyoshi stood beside Goba, her body moving lightly as she practied each of the motions he had demonstrated earlier.

"Excellent, excellent! Do you feel the difference now that your body is adjusting to the style?" Goba smiled, his hands moving with a remarkable fluidity.

"Yes," she smiled, her body moving with a more graceful manner than the other bending disciplines had called for.

"Very good! Now…Ah, Tashi!" he smiled toward his old pupil, nodding toward Kyoshi to permit her to take a break from their session.

"Goba, Kyoshi! Wanted to see you both before Pema and I headed out." He smiled, his eyes still full of wanderlust.

"Leaving so soon?" his mentor laughed.

"Yeah; want to head back out to the Earth Kingom. I'll make sure that Si Shen's shrine's been taken care of while I'm there," he nodded to Kyoshi.

"Thank you Tashi," she smiled. "I hope that we meet again soon."

"Me too," he returned the smile. "But 'til then, I made you this!" He offered a small pouch, handing it to her with a quick bow of the head.

"What is it…?"

"Eh, you'll see when you open it." He shrugged, smirking slightly. "Until next time," he nodded slowly to her.

"Until next time," she nodded in return.

"I wish you well, Tashi." The parting inspired a look of sadness in the old monk's eyes. He gently laid a hand upon his old student's shoulder. "Please be sure to eat, and to rest well when you can afford it."

"I will, old man." The airbender smiled softly, bowing deeply. "Kyoshi, good luck in your training."

"Thank you," she bowed her head.

"Until next time," Goba smiled.

"Next time," Tashi grinned, turning toward Pema.

The Avatar and the old monk watched as he leapt onto the beast, snapping at the reins before tearing through the sky.

"What is it he handed to you?" he glanced toward the pouch.

Kyoshi looked curiously towards the cloth, untying the strings binding it. It spread over her palm, revealing the contents.

A crudely sewn cloth doll rest in the palm of her hand, resembling the shape of an airbender. Upon further inspection she realized it to be a small version of Tashi. Beneath it was a scrap of parchment, a note written upon it.

"Kyoshi: Sorry I'm bad at sewing, never tried it before. It's not as good as the other one, but I hope it'll keep you company until we meet again. Take care and good luck in your training. Tashi."

She smiled softly at the doll, tucking it under the cloth of her belt to keep it safe until she could secure a better place for it.

"He is a good friend," Goba smiled with gentle pride, nodding slowly.

"Yes," Kyoshi smiled, looking up to the sky. "He is."

The two returned to their lesson happily, Avatar Kyoshi following each of his movement with careful focus as she prepared for the fantastic tasks that lie before her. Behind them lay the blue horizon, their forms moving with a gentle precision against it.

The wind brushed gently against her skin, her hair twitching the breeze.


End file.
